Such a lovely chart.

BOTANICAL EXTRACTS FOR HAIR CARE
EXTRACT NAME APPLICATIONS ATTRIBUTES - - - BASIL EXTRACT BLOND HIGHLIGHTS - BROOM FLOWER EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - CALENDULA EXTRACT (Marigold) * BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - CHAMOMILE EXTRACT * BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - DULSE EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - GOLDENSEAL EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - GRAPEFRUIT EXTRACT * BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - IRISH MOSS EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - KELP EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - LEMONGRASS EXTRACT * BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - LEMON PEEL EXTRACT * BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - MULLEIN FLOWERS EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - QUASSIA EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - SAMBUCUS (ELDER) EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - SOUTHERNWOOD EXTRACT BLONDE HIGHLIGHTS - ALMOND EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING, MOISTURIZING APPLE EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING AVOCADO EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING, NOURISHING BURDOCK ROOT EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING CACTUS EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING CALENDULA EXTRACT (Marigold) * CLEANSING CLEANSING CHAMOMILE EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING CHINA BARK EXTRACT (Soap Bark) CLEANSING CLEANSING CLARY SAGE EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING CLEAVERS EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING DANDELION EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING HAWAIIAN WHITE GINGER EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING HORSETAIL EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING KIWI EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING LAVENDER EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING LEMONGRASS EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING LEMON PEEL EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING LINDEN FLOWER EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING MADDER ROOT EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING OAKMOSS EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING ORANGE FLOWER EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING PAPAYA EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING PINEAPPLE EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING PRIMROSE EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING QUASSIA EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING RASPBERRY EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING ROSE BUD EXTRACT * CLEANSING CLEANSING SOAPWORT EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING WALNUT EXTRACT (BLACK) CLEANSING CLEANSING WILD PANSY EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING YUCCA EXTRACT CLEANSING CLEANSING ALOE EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING BASIL EXTRACT * CONDITIONING CLEANSING, NOURISHING BLACK MALVA EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING BLACK TEA EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING CHAMOMILE EXTRACT * CONDITIONING EMOLLIENT CHIA EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING CLOVER BLOSSOM EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING DULSE EXTRACT CONDITIONING CLEANSING, MOISTURIZING FENUGREEK EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING GERANIUM EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING HENNA EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING IRISH MOSS EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING KELP EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING NETTLE EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING RASPBERRY EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING ROSE BUD EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING ROSEMARY EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING SAGE EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING SAMBUCUS (ELDER) EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING SANDALWOOD EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING THYME EXTRACT * CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING VIOLET EXTRACT CONDITIONING MOISTURIZING ALMOND EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING, MOISTURIZING ARNICA EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING BURDOCK ROOT EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING CATNIP EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING CHAMOMILE EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING CHAPARRAL EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING CLEAVERS EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING CLOVER BLOSSOM EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING LEMONGRASS EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING NETTLE EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING ORANGE PEEL EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING QUASSIA EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING ROSEMARY EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING SAMBUCUS (ELDER) EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING SOUTHERNWOOD EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING THYME EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING WHITE BIRCH EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING WHITE WILLOW BARK EXTRACT DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING WITCH HAZEL EXTRACT * DANDRUFF CONTROL CLEANSING BLACK TEA EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - CHAPARRAL EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - HENNA EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - JABORANDI EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - NETTLE EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - RASPBERRY EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - ROSEMARY EXTRACT * DARK SHEEN - SAGE EXTRACT * DARK SHEEN - SOUTHERNWOOD EXTRACT DARK SHEEN - THYME EXTRACT * DARK SHEEN - WALNUT EXTRACT (BLACK) DARK SHEEN - ALMOND EXTRACT * DRY HAIR CLEANSING, MOISTURIZING CHAMOMILE EXTRACT * DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING CLOVER BLOSSOM EXTRACT * DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING COMFREY ROOT EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING DANDELION EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING DULSE EXTRACT DRY HAIR - FENUGREEK EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING HOPS EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING IRISH MOSS EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING KELP EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING MELILOT EXTRACT (Hayflower) DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING ORANGE FLOWER EXTRACT * DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING PEACH EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING QUINCE SEED EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING ROSEMARY EXTRACT * DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING SAGE EXTRACT * DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING SAMBUCUS (ELDER) EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING SOUTHERNWOOD EXTRACT DRY HAIR MOISTURIZING ALFALFA EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING ANISE SEED EXTRACT * HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING ARNICA EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING AVOCADO EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING BAY EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING BURDOCK ROOT EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING CALENDULA EXTRACT (Marigold) * HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING CATNIP EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING CLOVE EXTRACT * HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING DRAGON BLOOD (TREE) EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING DULSE EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING ECHINACEA FLOWER EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING HENNA EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING HONEY EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING HORSERADISH EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING HORSETAIL EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING IRISH MOSS EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING JABORANDI EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING MEADOW SWEET EXTRACT (May Flower) HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING MULLEIN LEAVES EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING NEEM EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING NETTLE EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING QUASSIA EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING QUILLALIA EXTRACT (Panama Bark) HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING SAGE EXTRACT * HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING SOUTHERNWOOD EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING WHEAT GERM EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING WHITE BIRCH EXTRACT * HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING WHITE WILLOW BARK EXTRACT HAIR GROWTH NOURISHING HORSETAIL EXTRACT OILY HAIR CLEANSING BEET ROOT EXTRACT * RED HAIR - CALENDULA EXTRACT (Marigold) RED HAIR - CHAMOMILE EXTRACT * RED HAIR - HIBISCUS EXTRACT RED HAIR - MADDER ROOT EXTRACT RED HAIR - RED HENNA EXTRACT RED HAIR - BASIL EXTRACT * SPLIT ENDS CLEANSING, NOURISHING COMFREY EXTRACT SPLIT ENDS EMOLLIENT, NOURISHING ECHINACEA FLOWER EXTRACT SPLIT ENDS NOURISHING FENUGREEK EXTRACT SPLIT ENDS MOISTURIZING HORSETAIL EXTRACT SPLIT ENDS MOISTURIZING, NOURISHING OLIVE EXTRACT SPLIT ENDS MOISTURIZING, NOURISHING QUINCE SEED EXTRACT SPLIT ENDS MOISTURIZING ROSEMARY EXTRACT * SPLIT ENDS NOURISHING HONEY EXTRACT THICKENING STRENGTHENING

Facts and Common Myths

Africans CAN wash their hair more frequently than the typical "2 weeks". They may even wash it everyday if they wanted to. Some people believe that washing more will help the hair grow more. How is this possible? WITH A MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO that doesnt strip your hair of moisture. Once you find that product thats suitable for you, go for it!

Stop saying you need a perm. PERMS curl caucasian, hispanic, etc 's hair. RELAXERS relax our kinks and curls to be straighter.

Many people confuse DANDRUFF with DRY SCALP. The scalp could be dry and flaky OR the products you use can leave a flaky film. Dandruff is a serious health issue and requires medical attention and prescribed medication. The 'flakes' are actually oily, not dry. Very few people have actual dandruff and you would know it if you did.

Trimming your hair will NOT make it grow faster. Hair comes from your SCALP not your ends. I cant believe some people actually believe that trimming helps growth. Trimming may help you retain length by getting rid of damaged ends.

You can not mend slit ends. Once they split, thats it. Cut them off and hope that the hair that you cut doesnt split too.

Brushing 100 times. Unnecessary. They say it helps wake up the follicles. Yeah, it can but more brushing can lead to more damage depending on the type of brush and the condition of the hair.

Sleeping with a wet head does NOT cause scalp fungus. If anything, be careful of how you sleep because hair is more prone to breakage when its wet.

Salon products are manufactured at a higher quality then drugstore products and the concentration that goes into them will give you the best possible results. Cheap products aren't just boo boo, some of them really do mimic the feel of professional products.

"Greasing" the scalp is a NO NO depending on what youre using. If the product is heavy in mineral oil or petrolatum, never touch it again.

For the beginners

Whether you're relaxed or natural, consider these tips in your journey towards healthy hair.

Having a photo diary is very beneficial. It will help you keep track of your journey. With in this diary or photo album you should list products that youre using. During this experience you will need to make note of products you do and dont like. To make a photo album, you need a camera of some sort of course. This is the technology age so you can use a digital camera, web camera, or camera phone. If you dont have any of those, those cheap cameras film cameras will do. If you use those, your diary will need be an actual book instead of an online thing.

Make sure that you learn about product ingredients so you will know how to pick and chose or THROW away. I will include a blog especially for harmful products but some of them can be found in my Shampoo and Conditioning 101 blog. The site listed in that blog will help you decide if you need to throw them away or not by the products rating. The key ingredients for healthy hair is moisture and protein. Make sure you have products that handle both ..either together or separately. You will need more moisture than protein.

Treat your hair like silk. When detangling your hair, start from the ends with a wide tooth comb and work your way up. Other methods of gentle detangling is to detangle in the shower with the water running over it WITH or WITHOUT conditioner. Finger combing is very common. My OWN method of detangling sometimes is to comb tiny locks of hair and build up from there adding small locks each time until the whole section is untangled. Dont let your hair touch anything but soft materials like satin and silk. Cotton and nag the hair and absorb moisture from it. Never put TOO much tension on it while its wet or dry. This will stretch out the hair and put strain on the scalp.

GOOD HAIR is healthy hair. Healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. You are what you eat ...and so is your hair in most cases. There are a lot of products that can enhance the look and feel of your hair but if your hair is generally healthy, you wont have to go the extra mile just to make it SEEM healthy.

Be experimental and find out what your hair likes. Products that I or other people recommend may not work for you. Everyone has different hair and different bodies. Find out exactly what you want for your hair and seek products that take care of it for you. Think "what do I want my hair to be?". Most people commonly want shiny, moisturized, strong, long hair. Well take EACH description and find a product that will help. Some products will take care of more than one. Moisturized hair, for example, is usually shiny also. See how this goes hand and hand? Strong hair wont break easily thus helping you retain LENGTH. Got it?

Make a regimen or routine for yourself. Do this in a manner that fits your lifestyle & dedication.

Soak in as much information as possible. I will try my best to give you all the information you need PLUS other things that will help the hair grow and you probably didnt know.

Tresemme Smooth & Silky Conditioner

I can NOT stop touching my hair. I am so in love with this product. It has completely replaced my suave tropical coconut conditioner for co washes.

Pros:
Incredibly soft hair
No tangles!
Less breakage and shedding because of the slip
Lovely smell
32 oz for ONLY $3

Cons:
Loaded with silicones
Fragrance (ingredient that suppose to cause cancer)
DMDM Hydantion (may release or form formaldehyde BUT it is a preservative & antimicrobial to fight bacteria)
PEG (carcinogen)

Those are the ingredients that jumped out to me. As stated before, I plan to remove any harmful toxins from my body by detoxing.


Ingredients

Water - Aqua , Stearyl Alcohol , Cyclopentasiloxane , Cetyl Alcohol , Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine , Dimethicone , Cyclohexasiloxane , Aspartic Acid , Quaternium-18 , Fragrance - Parfum , DMDM Hydantoin , Isostearamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate , Citric Acid , PEG-9 , Butylphenyl Methylpropional , Limonene , Disodium EDTA , Amyl Cinnamal , Linalool , Geraniol , Hexyl Cinnamal , Biotin , Polysorbate 20 , Hydrolyzed Keratin , Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein , Hydrolyzed Silk , Ascorbic Acid , Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch , Niacinamide , Soluble Collagen , Carrageenan Extract - Chondrus Crispus , Tocopheryl Acetate , Panthenol

My Regimen

This is not concrete. I going to test out this method of hair care until I tweak it to perfection.

Let me start with my first step after waking up.

MORNING
1. Detangle with fingers or comb in the shower
2. co wash with tresemme smooth conditioner with my shower cap on while I wash
3. Spray on my leave in conditioner and detangle
4. Bantu knot bun with coconut oil(shine & condition) and shea butter(shine, condition, & hold) on the hair thats showing.
5. use the scarfing method until I get to school.

DURING THE DAY
1. Drinking 64 or more ounces of water.
2. Scalp massages (light patting) when I'm bored.
3. Breathing exercise when I remember
4. Exercising for about 30. ( i have to force myself to do this) Co wash if need be to remove sweat.
5. Occasional detox bath
6. One hair vitamin a day after one meal (3 is recommended but Im starting out slow)

NIGHT
1. Take down bun and use the growth aids on my scalp.
2. Use coconut oil on my hair and on the roots as close to the scalp as possible. (lightly coat and not soak)
3. Scalp message before bed
4. Use my bonnet or scarf


TREATMENTS (SUNDAY & maybe WEDNESDAYS)
1. Coconut oil pre poo steam treatment
2. Shampoo with my Shikakai Shampoo bar
3. Deep condition for an hour or so with Aussie DEEP 3 minute miracle & Giovanni deeper moisture. ( i may add another conditioner)

Im not sure when I will try the irish moss treatment. I will start this on sunday and stick with it. I will post updates frequently. Hopefully I wont have product over load. If this happens, I will use the Giovanni shampoo or my shikakai shampoo bar. I will clarify once a month.

Coconut oil

What can I say? This is liquid crack. The "GOOD" oil. It softens my hair and adds shine to it. I use this as a prepoo. It really helps with shedding. When I was using Mane N Tail, I really wanted to know what helped my breakage. I looked on the bottle and BOOM! Theres coconut oil. This is a definite staple that I will use to keep my hair soft and silky. It really helps with tangles by the way. In my opinion, it is the best oil ever. Coconut oil has the ability to penetrate the hair and scalp. Not only does it help the hair, it has plenty of health benefits. It helps with dry scalp skin or dandruff and also eczema. It is antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. This also helps with eliminating waste. It has known to help people with life threatening diseases. Weight loss is a benefit also. I will cook with this oil. This is something you should DEFINITELY try if you dont have it already. Make sure you get 100% natural unrefined or "virgin" coconut oil. I should have a natural sweet coconut smell and it will melt in your hand and solidify in cooler temperatures.


Ways to apply it:
Put it on over night and shampoo out in the morning.
Use as a pre poo.
Use with a steam treatment.
Add a drop your hands and spread evenly through the hair after styling.
"Grease" your scalp with it and reap the benefits.

Theory
If coconut is antifungal and all, could it be the NATURAL alternative to MN?


Benefits
There are SO many benefits of coconut oil. Find them here.
http://www.naturalhealthweb.com/articles/vandenbrekel1.html
http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/coconut.htm

Success Stories
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/coconut_oil.html

Convinced now!?

Hair Theories.

Hair Theories
These theories are in my best judgment. Some of these are true, some of these hold truth logically. 1.Water This will hydrate the body, scalp, & hair. Im not saying drinking water will change the texture immediately, I'm saying that drinking the required amount will change the hair over time. Hair depends on the way you treat it & your diet. If you're hydrated, your hair will grow with more moisture. Thats all I'm saying. I plan on drinking 64 oz or more each day. I will eventually increase this amount with time. Drinking water is kind of...hard at times. 2. Reflexology I saw that in one chart, the finger tips represented the scalp. Connecting the two, if you use reflexology to relax & stimulate the scalp, it will help with hair growth. 3. Detox/colon cleansing. We all want nutrients to help our hair as well as our body. Detoxing & colon cleansing will get rid of harmful toxins and eliminate the waste that blocks our body from absorbing the nutrients that we need. 4. You can make your hair grow faster. Most people say "you cant make your hair grow faster, it has its own growth rate". This is very well true. The only thing about this is, most people stunt their growth with improper hair care. If you practice hair care to obtain healthy hair, you can help your hair grow to its maximum growth potential. This is why I say that you can grow your hair FASTER ...because what youre currently doing could be slowing down your hair growth. 5. Increasing blood circulation Of course blood circulation is important because if nourishes the scalp & hair follicles. I have made it my business to find out ways to improve it. Breathing properly helps. Interesting huh? Other things include exercise & turning your head up side down letting gravity help. 6. Vitamins They're controversial. One should always consult a doctor before taking supplements but I think that vitamins are helpful to replenish the body of vitamins that it didnt get that day. Getting certain nutrients in fact WILL help promote hair growth. 7. Indulge In Daily Aromatherapy "Many studies have been done on the effects of aromatherapy when used in daily or regular scalp massages for both healthy hair and scalp as well as overall health. Studies have found that there is a direct link between the use of aromatherapy and hair growth. A study performed by the Archives of Dermatology in 1998 by Scottish researchers found that aromatherapy can promote new hair growth. Patients who massaged various aromatherapy oils on their scalps every day enjoyed significant and measurable improvement in their hair growth." I cant wait to try this. 8. Miconazole Nitrate This has proven to work with many people on the hair boards. Bacteria and other microbes and hinder the hair from growing. This ingredient (MN) is found in antifungal products. They get rid of the bad stuff thus helping hair growth.

What do I use?

I really shouldnt show you the list of brands Ive used. I'm a product junkie. Lmao.

Staples
Well, a staple is a product that you stand by and will always go back to if all else fails. I am a definite product junkie and I've had many trials and errors trying to find what my hair likes. Not only did I find what my hair likes, I'm learning about the actual ingredients in the products. This is something that everyone should do because believe it or not, some of the ingredients are actually hazardous to your hair AND health. Some ingredients may cause cancer & some ingredients can break down the hair, dry out the hair, & etc. I'll blog on that later. Anyways, I really need to make a blog about what I've used. This will consist of products that my hair do or doesn't like..or simply products that are too dangerous for some of the reasons stated above. All the brand names Ive used: Rated 1 - 3. 0 = No opinion or can't remember Dove - 0 Pantene - 1 Matrix - 3 John Frieda - 1 Paul Mitchell - 2 Marc Anthony - 3 Giovanni - 3 Mane N' Tail - 3 Fantasia - 3 Nexxus - 2 SunSilk - 0 ThemaSilk - 3 Aussie - 3 Burts Bee - 1 Nioxin - 2 Aveda - 3 Biosilk - 2 Bed Head - 3 L'Oreal - 3 Lustrasilk - 0 Head and Shoulders - 1 Garnier Fructis - 1 Suave Professionals - 3 I believe that covers it. Now out of ALL of those products I'm using the following: Swastik Shikakai Shampoo bar. Giovanni Deeper Moisture shampoo and conditioner Aussie Deeeeep 3 Minute miracle conditioner Tresemme Smooth conditioner I want to try Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and Moisture Gloss Conditioner from Marc Anthony then I hope that will end my product junkie streak. I am trying to narrow down the things I want to use. Oils: Rosemary Clary Sage Jojoba Avocado Sweet Almond Coconut Extra Virgin Olive Oil Hair & Scalp elixir grapeseed (I want to get) Growth Aid: Miconazole Nitrate (MN) Cayenne pepper Other: Aloe vera Irish moss Apple Cider vinegar Shea butter Tools: Jibere wide tooth comb Natural boar bristle brush Gold and Hot inflatable hair dryer Wiggo hand held hand dryer Vogue Flat iron (will change to Sedu) Applicator bottle Spray bottle Rat tail comb Various small mixing bowls Soft rubber bands Bobby pins Hair clips (i will purchase) Filtering shower head 2 absorbent hair turban towels Satin scarf and bonnet Curlformers (long and wide) shower caps Old soft tooth brush Hair, skin, & nails vitamins petroleum jelly...SIKE!

How to shampoo and condition

There are various methods of shampooing and conditioning.

No poo is using another substance such as baking soda, apple cider vinegar, or conditioner to clean the hair and scalp.

Lo poo is diluting the shampoo before using it or shampooing less often.

Pre poo is a method that protects the hair from the harsh foaming agents in shampoos. People do this with hot oils, oils, or conditioner.

Instant conditioner usually closes the hair cuticles

Deep conditioner penetrates the hair

Fortifying or protein conditioners strengthen the hair and helps fill in the gaps. Because our hair is made of protein and water they help rebuild the hair.

Baggying is when you put the oil or conditioner on for an extended period of time. Some people do it ever night or during the day. Some baggy their ponytail or their whole head.

Here are steps to bring your hair back to life. Remember to use warm water throughout the ENTIRE process unless noted otherwise. Hot water can damage the scalp and take away natural oils. Cold water keeps the cuticle closed. Warm water is just right.

1. Comb through hair using a wide tooth comb. This will make the shampooing part easier.

2. Pre pooing is optional. Choose a product/oil that is right for you. You may let it sit on your hair, deep condition it with a plastic back or a hot damp towel, or continuously smooth it through your hair.

3. A shower head with different pressures is essential. A FILTERING shower head is even better. It is completely optional but it will help out a LOT. If you do not have a showerhead, let the water completely drench your hair completely. If you have a shower head, wet your hair then part it and blast the parts with water to get rid of some of the oils, debris, and dirt. This will also massage your scalp and get your circulation going.

4. Take a small amount of shampoo and rub it in your hands. Do NOT slap it on your head straight from the bottle or pour it on. More shampoo does not necessarily mean your hair will be cleaner. Also, shampooing twice may not be necessary. I can dry your hair out even more and cause you to waste more product. The companies want you to lather twice so that you can buy more of the product. The amount of shampoo depends on the length and thickness of your hair. Unless you always put products and oils all over your head, just shampoo your roots. Do NOT pile your hair on top of your head. This will create more tangles. I know using your nails to scratch your scalp feels good but it can damage your scalp over all. Use the tips of your fingers to massage your scalp. Do not twist your hair all up trying to clean the length of your hair. Friction is horrible. When you shampoo your roots, most of the time, the shampoo is so effective that it cleans while it is washed down your hair. Scritching is a method in where you are using your nails to scratch your scalp but in a gentle way to lift off gunk on your scalp. I approve of it ONLY if it is done ever so gently.

5. Wash out the shampoo thoroughly for about a minute or more to get rid of the residue. Part your hair and let the water wash away any remain product. Here again, the shower head comes in handy.

6. Condition your ends first then work your way up. Some "experts" and bottles say to use a small amount of conditioner. Ive been hard headed with this instruction. With MY hair, I use handfuls. They also say dont condition the roots. I do, I want my new growth to be conditioned and my scalp moisturized. Wait for a sufficient amount of time. Instant conditioners work pretty much in a matter of minutes while deep conditioners perform to their maximum during a long period of time. Work the conditioner through the hair for even distribution.

7. Rinse. Follow step five but make sure you wash for more time. Some people like to "leave in" some of the conditioner as part of their leave in conditioner treatment. This is fine but make sure that your scalp is now clogged up.

8. Follow up with cool to cold water to close the cuticles of your hair and the pores of your scalp. This will help keep bacterial and other microbes out of the hair.

9. You can pat your hair dry or shake out the excess water. Do not rough up your hair with the towel. FRICTION IS BAD!

10. Finger comb your hair of use a wide tooth comb to detangle your hair. NEVER use a brush on wet hair.

11. Most people put product into their hair while its dripping wet. It helps distribution better then when it is used on dry hair.

Shampoo and Condition 101

Most shampoos contain foaming agents (surfactants) that lather up and clean the scalp and hair. When choosing a shampoo, read the front of the bottle to find out what it "claims" to do. African hair needs moisturizing shampoos so that their hair does not dry out and break off with the harsh chemicals. I usually look for shampoos that say moisturizing or smoothing. Then I look for the ingredients below.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (very harsh and very stripping to the hair)
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (milder, but stripping to the hair)
Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate (harsh and strips the hair)
Ammonium Laureth Sulphate (milder, but can strip the hair)
Cocobetaine (very mild)
Cocamidopropyl Betaine (very mild)
Sodium Myreth Sulphate (Sodium Myristil Ether Sulphate) (milder, but can strip the hair)
Sodium Pareth Sulphate (not as common as the other sulphates) (milder)

I will put down a shampoo quick as hell if it has more than one of these listed. Ive seen an Aussie hair care product that had like 3 of the harshest ones listed and was shocked. Ew.

1. Another ingredient that can try out the hair is ALCOHOL! Some alcohols are preservatives to now you may exhale. Isopropyl alcohol and SD-40 alcohol are in many products. When you see it listed on a shampoo bottle, PUT IT DOWN!

2. Its really sad how companies will put in ingredients just because they are cheap. Mineral oil, petrolatum, and petroleum oil are used in SO many products today. Mineral oil is a derivative of crude oil. It clogs the pores of your skin and scalp and coats your hair. Over time, the build up of these ingredients can dry your hair out severely.

3. PEG's contribute to stripping the Natural Moisture Factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially carcinogenic.

4. PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG) break down protein and cellular structure.

5. DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (momoethnanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine), FD & C Color PIGMENTS & or FRAGRANCE (parfum) are carcinogenic. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observation by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes.

6. CHLORINE may cause asthma, hay fever, anemia, bronchitis, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium diabetes, dizziness, irritation of the eye, mouth, nose throat, lung, skin and stomach, heart disease, high blood pressure and nausea. It is also a possible cause of cancer. Even though you will not see Chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair. For this reason, I invested in a filtering shower head. I dont let tap water touch my hair.

7. Silicones are controversial. They are known to coat th hair, possibly trapping in moisture. They can be removed with foaming agent. These ingredients end with "xane" or "cone". Many enjoy the feel of silicones.

8. - Parabens anything ending with "paraben" is said to cause cancer.

9. Stay away from FORMALDEHYDE

With all the items Ive listed, in theory, if you detox every now and then and consume antioxidants , you will be able to get rid of these toxins. I will never use a harsh shampoo with drying surfactants, chlorine, mineral oil, petrolatum, petroleum oil, or PG. They effect the hair the most. The other ingredients are toxins. However, I like silicones.

Now that you've learned a little about the ingredients of the products you have used, go to this website and it will let you know how SAFE they are according to the ingredients. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ I find this to be very helpful if youre health conscience.

Welcome

Hello, I am Ciera Michele but you can just call me Ciera. After so much research and inspirations, I can't take it any longer. I have to start blogging. This is what you will find in my blogs:

- Skin care tips
- Hair care tips
- My personal journey to transitions
- Tutorials
- And more..

Feel free to bookmark my blogs or subscribe. If you want to take any of my material, only do so with crediting me. I plan to put an end to all your hair woes. Ive been studying hair care for about 3 years ..soaking in as much information as I can. There is SO much you can learn if youre clueless. I plan to make this your ONE stop hair care help. Im just now getting into skin care only because my skin is decent. I rarely breakout but I want to face to become "clean, clear, and under control".

A little more about me. I justed turned 22. I have too much time on my hands (you'll see that). I am hair obsessed. I am transitioning from relaxed to natural. My last relaxer was around November 19th. I have about 2 inches of growth since then. Ive have joined www.longhaircareforum.com and learned SO much about hair care. At first, I'll admit..I thought I knew everything about hair care. NOW, I know everything lol, almost. I have absorbed more information about hair care then some people do in their lifetime. I soak it up quick and you can always catch me researching. Sadly enough, I research as much or more than I do my school work. Spank me. Sorry. I asked my mom when did I get a relaxer ...(sigh) and she said I was 5. I'm like FIVE!?@#?!@?#!@?# OMG! I cant blame her. She didn't know what to do with my long thick hair. I don't remember what my natural texture was at that age but as of now, I have some retarded hair. Mixed people are known to have many different patterns of texture. I am most African + keetoowah native. I'm 75% "black" but dont let that get in the way. My hair has been through a LOT of damage. When I was a teen I remember saying that I wanted long silky hair. With my study of hair care, I have achieved that. No matter HOW damaged your hair is, you TOO can have the hair you desire.